


What's Best for Steven

by Nocturnal_Daydreams



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Crystal Gem song as lullaby, Gen, Greg also grieving, Living out of a van is not safe for a baby, Lullabies, Pearl grieving, but dealing better than Pearl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-10-06 07:52:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10329704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocturnal_Daydreams/pseuds/Nocturnal_Daydreams
Summary: Pearl is so heartbroken that she can barely look at Steven. So how is it they come to live with him?(Written when I was barely midway through Season 1 - So AU where Crystal Gems had a house beforehand.)





	

Pearl won’t touch Steven when he’s born. She barely comes out of her room and when she does she is in bits so it’s not noticed for a while.

Greg takes him home the first night time after his birth. He sets up a Moses basket in a room in the car wash and tries to make it as comfortable as possible. He realises however that this is not the way. He wakes up at 4 and holds the baby Steven’s hand trying not to cry because he knows what he’s about to do is for Steven’s best even if it killed him to see his son staying with someone else. Steven as a babe is up and down all night, while child Steven can not really remember his mum, all baby Steven can really think of is a face he won’t know is his mother’s till he is 3.

The next day, Greg takes Steven back to the gems’ home. Pearl immediately walks out of the room without so much as a word but Greg understands; as a baby Steven looks so much like his mother. Garnet talks to Amethyst who goes into her bedroom and comes out not two minutes later saying, “She won’t come out.”

Garnet shrugs, “Hi, Greg.”

“Hi Garnet, Hi Amethyst. I um, have something important to ask.”

“What is it Gregster and little one?” Amethyst asks, doing the double gun finger point.

“I think it best if Steven lived here.” Greg blurts out then steadies himself, “He…um.. He needs a house to live in.”

“But Greg, you live somewhere.” Amethyst retorts.

“I live in a van. He’d have no bed and no kitchen and no living room and no bathroom, things he needs to grow as a person. To look after himself. And with all the will in the world, I don’t have the money to buy a place to stay.” He replies.

Garnet nods, “This is true. The boy needs to grow properly. Also he will be a gem and he must help us save the world.”

“You are kidding! I am not throwing him in that war!!” He whisper-shouts.

“The war has been over thousands of years Greg. We’d just take him places to bring back fallen gems. If we ever thought it might be too much we’d leave him here and tell you.” Garnet replies as if it’s the most simple plan in the world.

“What about Pearl?”

“What about her?” Amethyst replies.

“She won’t even be in the same room as Steven.” Greg answers.

“True but if she won’t leave the room to vote then the vote to keep him is unanimous.” Garnet shrugs. There’s no flaw in the logic but Greg doesn’t need future vision to know its an amazingly bad idea to not say. Unfortunately since they are taking him there's not much more he can say.

With this said they head up to the half second floor to put down the Moses basket where Garnet stays with the baby while Greg and Amethyst pick up a crib, a changer, a ton of baby stuff and a cute DJ teddy bear. While they’re shopping Garnet and Pearl are at home quietly arguing the toss about looking after baby Steven where Garnet tells Pearl to get a hold of herself and Pearl goes back to her room. When they get back Garnet and Gregg build the crib and the changer.

For a week or two Greg half lives in the house, only going to his van to sleep where he keeps the baby monitor by his bed. By now it becomes obvious that Pearl is ignoring Greg and the baby and while he’s upset about it he leaves it be. He stops singing his own van song to Steven at nap time (it seemed to wind him up). He starts to make up a song about the Crystal Gems, changing an odd line every time he sings. Usually the last one. He can’t seem to get it and it bugs him and the baby.

“They are the crystal gems, they’re here to save our butts, cos if they didn't do that we’d all have lots of cuts.” Greg sings not realising Pearl had just warped back, “Nah, that’s not right.”

In reply baby Steven cries loudly.

“Don’t worry my little baby, if all pork chops were perfect we wouldn’t have hot dogs.” He mutters rocking the crib slowly. Pearl feels bad but is about to leave when, “It’s the last line that eludes me, Rose changes our song. None of the lines rhyme anymore. Like she changed our lives. At least you’ll be surrounded by mummy’s friends. They loved her a lot longer than I even knew her. The stories they will tell you.. I hope you tell me. I’d love to have heard more about her.”

Wiping her eyes and shaking of the words Pearl sneaks away without being noticed.

It’s the next morning however he realises someone tried.to make a booking at the shop and he realises sometime soon he will have to let the gem’s take over the main part of the job. So he makes Garnet aware and goes to work.

Garnet and Amethyst take turns looking after Steven and for once be sure to not mention a word to Pearl. Thankfully it’s a good day and Steven’s fairly calm. When the day is nearly over they call Pearl out and tell her about a present. They make her close her eyes. They put Steven in her arms and the moment she sees him she begins sobbing, holding him safely. He looks like her and she’s been ignoring him all this time. She feels like dirt. From then on she swears to be protective and a proper substitute mum to him.

Before long though Steven starts crying and she tells the group to sing for him, from different versions of the same song.

“We are the crystal gems,” Garnet sings,

“We’ll always save the day.”

“And if you think they cant.” Sings Greg.

“We’ll always find a way.” Pearl barely mutters.

“That’s why the people of this world…” Garnet and Amethyst harmonises.

“Believe in..” Greg makes do.

“Garnet,” She lists.

“Amethyst,” She adds.

“And Pearl.” Greg replies.

“And Steven.” Pearl injects and it sets them off laughing.

She realises in this moment how much she loves the little baby and how she’d never let harm come to Steven ever. It gets easier living with baby Steven after that.


End file.
